The present invention relates generally to fastening devices for absorbent garments. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fastening device for an absorbent garment having multiple elasticized regions, each being located serially outboard of the previous region.
Traditionally, disposable absorbent garments such as infant diapers or training pants, adult incontinence products and other such products were constructed with a moisture-impervious outer backsheet, a moisture-pervious body-contacting inner topsheet, and a moisture-absorbent core sandwiched between the liner and backsheet. In typical diaper-type garments, the garment is affixed to a wearer by attaching one or more fastener tabs that extend across the wearer""s hips to hold the back and front halves of the garment to one another.
Much effort has been expended to find a desirable design for absorbent garment fastener tabs. The task of designing a universally suitable fastener tab is complicated by the fact that the fasteners are used on a great number of different wearers, all having slightly to very different body shapes and sizes. Also complicating the design of fastener tabs is the fact that the wearers typically move their bodies while the fasteners are attached, sometimes causing the tabs to become loose, uncomfortable or even unfastened. Yet another factor complicating the task of fastener tab design is the fact that the caregivers applying the tabs do so in a variety of ways that may or may not be suitable to properly affix tabs of the particular design being applied.
A number of different tab designs have been explored to provide suitable fit, comfort, leakage prevention, and other benefits. Typical fastener tabs are inelastic plastic tabs having an adhesive or hook-and-loop gripping portion. Such tabs may be attached directly to the diaper chassis or may have an elastic region interposed between the chassis and the inboard edge of the grip, such as is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,429 issued to Long et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and in a manner consistent with the present invention. Other fastener tabs have been made that have an elasticized portion that extends all the way to the end of the tab, and have the grip attached directly to one side of the elastic portion at the outboard end, typically rendering that portion of the fastener tab inelastic. Such tabs are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,796 issued to Jacob, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and in a manner consistent with the present invention. Still other fastener tabs have been provided with elasticized regions that have intermediate zones, located between the grip and the diaper chassis, having little or no elastic stretchability, such as those disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,411 issued to Huber et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and in a manner consistent with the present invention.
Despite these and other efforts by absorbent garment manufacturers and others to provide suitable fastener tabs for absorbent garments, there is still a need to provide a more comfortable, better fitting, and easily applied fastener tab. These are just a few of the disadvantages of the prior art that the preferred embodiments seek to address.
It would be desirable to provide fastener tabs for absorbent garments that provide more control over the grip to allow better attachment to the garment. It would also be desirable to provide fastener tabs that have selectively elasticized regions that provide increased comfort and fit on moving wearers having a variety of body shapes and sizes.
In accordance with these and other features of various embodiments of the invention, there is provided a fastener tab for securing absorbent garments onto a wearer. The fastener tab has a first elastic region that extends laterally outward from a waist region of the garment, a second elastic region that extends laterally outward from the first elastic region, and a grip that is attached to a laterally outboard portion of the second elastic region. The second elastic region has a greater stretch resistance than the first elastic region.
According to one feature of the invention, the fastener tab may additionally have a substantially inelastic region interposed between the first elastic region and the second elastic region. According to another feature of the invention, the fastener tab""s first and second elastic regions may be made from elastic laminates having a central elastic layer located between inelastic layers. According to still another feature of the invention, the grip is a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. According to yet another feature of the invention, the side edges of the fastener tab may be non-parallel.
According to other features of the invention, when a lateral tensile force is applied to the grip to extend the first elastic region to about 150% to about 210% of its original length, the second elastic region is extended to about 120% to about 180% of its original length. In another feature, when a lateral tensile force is applied to the grip to extend the first elastic region to about 165% to about 195% of its original length, the second elastic region is extended to about 135% to about 165% of its original length. And in another feature, when a lateral tensile force is applied to the grip to extend the first elastic region to about 180% of its original length, the second elastic region is extended to about 150% of its original length.
These and other features of the invention will be readily apparent from the Detailed Description that follows, along with reference to the drawings appended hereto.